International Children’s Bible

John 19:4-15 International Children’s Bible (ICB)

4. Again Pilate came out and said to them, “Look! I am bringing Jesus out to you. I want you to know that I find nothing I can charge against him.”

5. Then Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to the Jews, “Here is the man!”

6. When the leading priests and the guards saw Jesus they shouted, “Kill him on a cross! Kill him on a cross!”But Pilate answered, “Take him and nail him to a cross yourselves. I find nothing I can charge against him.”

7. The Jews answered, “We have a law that says he should die, because he said he is the Son of God.”

8. When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid.

9. He went back inside the palace and asked Jesus, “Where are you from?” But Jesus did not answer him.

10. Pilate said, “You refuse to speak to me? Don’t you know that I have power to set you free and power to have you killed on a cross?”

11. Jesus answered, “The only power you have over me is the power given to you by God. The man who gave me to you is guilty of a greater sin.”

12. After this, Pilate tried to let Jesus go free. But the Jews cried out, “Anyone who makes himself king is against Caesar. If you let this man go free, you are not Caesar’s friend.”

13. Pilate heard what the Jews were saying. So he brought Jesus out to the place called The Stone Pavement. (In the Jewish language the name is Gabbatha.) Pilate sat down on the judge’s seat there.

14. It was about six o’clock in the morning on Preparation Day of Passover week. Pilate said to the Jews, “Here is your king!”

15. They shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Kill him on a cross!”Pilate asked them, “Do you want me to kill your king on a cross?”The leading priests answered, “The only king we have is Caesar!”